For decades, nutritionists have celebrated the concept of the “Mediterranean Diet,” touted for its focus on vegetables, fish, and minimal meat. Historians and anthropologists have long considered the concept problematic, since actual diets vary widely across Mediterranean societies.

Whatever the benefits of the “Mediterranean Diet,” it seems that many people around the Mediterranean Sea are radically changing their food consumption habits, eating much more meat and fast food. This is hardly a surprise for historians who have spent time in Mediterranean countries doing research over the past decade or so.

Students in HIST 458 The Mediterranean World at NIU will be interested in a report on NPR that discusses the changing “Mediterranean Diet.”